Chapter 91

91.

“There’s something strange about the recent monster activities.”

I briefly informed Myna, who gave a small nod, about the situation.

Recently, the activity of beasts has become more active, and the cause of this is the result of monsters moving south.

Since the time for the black rain is still far off, these monsters didn’t naturally appear but instead were coming from somewhere else, and the places they would emerge from were predetermined.

The northern duchy.

There seems to be a problem with the front line that is blocking the monsters.

The road leading to the north is blocked due to abnormal weather, and the area is currently isolated.

“There have been reports of abnormalities.”

Most of the decent-sized sects on the continent are capable of suppressing the emergence of monsters and possess the power to neutralize the fear these monsters cause.

If a priest is included in a group, even those who are not mana practitioners can fight monsters.

With the mental attacks, which were a major obstacle, nullified, it becomes similar to dealing with giant beasts in the wild.

For this reason, sects across the board were mainly tasked with eradicating monsters under the guise of purging evil entities.

Among them, the Pilgrimage Group was the most active.

“Have there been no communications from the Pilgrimage Group that’s stationed in the north? At this point, it’s merely speculation based on the circumstances, so we need more detailed information.”

In response to my question, Myna shook her head.

“There’s no Pilgrimage Group in the north.”

“There’s no Pilgrimage Group? Isn’t the north the place they visit most frequently?”

“I expressed myself incorrectly. They aren’t stationed there now. Most of them left before last year’s black rain.”

Those words made sense.

Unlike regular rain, black rain is a fairly rare weather phenomenon that occurs in limited areas and carries plenty of mana.

If it were just regular rain, it wouldn’t matter, but wherever black rain falls, there is always an emergence of monstrous creatures.

Due to the danger, there are airborne surveillance towers to watch the skies and meteorological observatories to read the tides.

Normally, while the airborne surveillance towers deal mostly with weather forecasting and astronomical observations, their main priority is predicting black rain.

Last year, black rain fell across the entire empire—quite an unusual occurrence.

Afterward, while moving around the capital, I overheard merchants discussing the fact that black rain had also fallen in neighboring countries.

There’s always a reason behind extraordinary events.

‘The seal must’ve started to deteriorate.’

Father and the Knights sealed away the monstrous creatures.

Their influence must be the cause of this.

And this is the level of chaos the loosened seal has caused.

Monsters will appear not only in various parts of the empire but also in external locations, and that’s likely why the Pilgrimage Group has dispersed everywhere to deal with them.

There are monsters in the wild that need to be dealt with as well.

Given the vast expanse of the land, and the need for supplies after a battle…

It wasn’t a world where high-speed communication and advanced means of transportation had developed.

It goes without saying that it would take a long time. Based on the guess, the Pilgrimage Group must have been traveling toward the north, cleaning up after the monsters.

“It seems even if the Pilgrimage Group arrives, entering would be impossible.”

“We’ve tried several times ourselves.”

She nodded in understanding when I trailed off.

I also considered sending only mana practitioners to the north. A superhuman could break through the snowstorm and reach the north.

‘But that wouldn’t be meaningful.’

It’s not as if mana practitioners are abundant enough to transport supplies. Whether the supplies would effectively reach the front line is uncertain.

To deal with the sealed monster, we would require a transcendent Swordmaster. Alternatively, we considered the approach of deploying numerous mana practitioners to merely reinforce the seal…

‘The power of the monsters has grown significantly. Even mana practitioners would have to risk their lives.’

They would need to break through waves of monsters into the depths. Can mana practitioners really navigate the sea of death so easily?

For now, I wanted to send them as supporting power to maintain the front line, but there was a sticking point.

Karlheigh.

Because of this one, our concentration has been fragmented.

“So, that’s why you’re rushing to attack the allied nation.”

“As I mentioned earlier, the opponent made the first move. They’re not the type that considers circumstances.”

This isn’t about Karlheigh knowing the situation in the north and preparing for war.

It’s simply an effort to provoke based on observations of Altain so far, with the hope of leveraging Sylvester’s support.

If things went well, they would escape the empire’s influence, and even if they didn’t, they likely thought it was worth it with Sylvester backing them.

“Yes. I understand fully.”

Myna sighed softly, indicating that she understood the situation.

“How long has it been since the situation escalated and these unsettling events have been occurring one after another?”

She whispered the name of the Goddess while making the sign of sanctity.

She seems troubled by the sudden turn of events.

Her previously gentle smile was now filled with sorrow, and her trembling hands gripping the seven-pointed star pendant revealed her concern.

I observed her for a moment, her mind clearly in turmoil, before bringing up the matter again. The danger of the situation is understood, so the sects probably won’t oppose it actively.

“The sect can remain silent. I’ll manage the rest.”

We must quickly end the war and focus on resolving the northern front.

Her lips closed at my subtle suggestion.

One decision could cost countless lives. It isn’t an easy matter to decide.

Setting aside her position as the representative of the sect, the High Priestess, she’s fundamentally a kind person.

She would rather seek peace and harmony than conflict.

Sylvester’s followers of the Bright Sect preparing for war while claiming to worship the Sun Goddess is clearly odd. It is evident that they don’t truly revere the Sun Goddess purely.

With her head bowed, Myna thought for a while and then responded.

Her calm expression betrayed no emotions.

Her serious, pink eyes met mine.

“I have one thing I’d like to inquire about before making a decision.”

“Go ahead.”

“Is this the will of the empire? Or the will of the Duke?”

It was a simple question, but her gaze was weighty.

The gravity of the response was palpable. I closed my eyes to gather my thoughts and recalled past memories.

I took action of my own accord, living a life incomparable to my previous one.

Therefore, I can affirm it confidently.

“I made the decision.”

It is solely my choice, so the responsibility lies with me.

With such intense determination, I met Myna’s gaze.

“…Alright.”

Her ears turned red.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

Having sought understanding, Myna stepped away from the desk and approached calmly.

Taking a deep breath, she seemed to have resolved something as she closed her eyes tightly and bowed deeply.

Pink hair cascaded like a waterfall.

Lowering her head almost to the floor, she grabbed the long black skirt reaching her ankles and lifted it.

Swish.

As her skirt was slowly pulled up, Myna’s pure, white legs were revealed.

“Eh…?”

Her impeccable thighs and calves, with just the right amount of curves, radiated an elegant presence.

The ridiculousness of the sudden situation left me speechless, and Myna, her face as red as her hair, spoke.

“Oh, please take a good look at the right thigh, Your Grace.”

Her following words were equally absurd, making my head freeze, yet my eyes followed her instructions naturally.

Then, my frozen mind quickly returned to normal.

“This is…”

A faintly glowing sun emblem.

If my memory served me correctly, this was the mark indicating the Goddess’s blessing. It made Myna the High Priestess of the Bright Sect and was the source of power that could bring miracles into reality.

While observing the sign through a gentle touch on her chin, her skirt swiftly returned to its original position.

As she raised her head suddenly, her gaze met mine after she dusted off her wrinkled clothes.

“This is… the blessing bestowed by the Goddess of Light. Did you see it well?”

“…Yes. I saw it.”

The softly glowing mark and even more radiant legs left a lasting impression.

I awkwardly nodded, and Myna quickly began explaining.

“This blessing cannot be seen by ordinary people, and it’s the same for mana users. You can only recognize the power of the Goddess when I, through Her, manifest miracles in this world.”

“Hmm? But I…”

The mark and the light on Myna’s thigh were clearly visible.

‘Ah…’

When the Goddess had descended through Myna, something had been left behind on the nape of my neck.

I was aware that it was an extraordinary act, though I had confidence in dealing with the sect since it was a gift directly bestowed by the Goddess.

Judging by Myna’s reaction, it seemed akin to the mark of the High Priestess.

Myna softly smiled.

“Your Grace shares the same blessing that I do… here.”

Swish.

A delicate and gentle sensation was felt.

Myna’s calm, extended arm reached toward me, her gaze fixed on my neck.

“This is the blessing of the Goddess of Light, which manifests only within the High Priestess. It can radiate a gentle holy light, and on a grand scale, can even invoke miracles. In other words…”

I anticipated what Myna was about to say.

“You are a High Priestess… or rather, another emissary of the Goddess. Hmm, perhaps the term ‘Saint’ is more appropriate.”

She withdrew her arm and calmly defined my position.

“You may not yet announce it officially, but you are, at least within the Bright Sect, of equal standing with me.”

“So…”

“Yes. Your Grace’s wishes are the will of the sect.”

That’s why you asked which side’s will this is.

“Is this war a decision made out of personal desire?”

“No. It’s a decision for the empire… rather, for the sake of something precious.”

“Therefore, I will not oppose Your Grace’s will.”

After finishing the talk about the emblem, her usual title of “Duke” changed.

Perhaps it was her way of expressing subtly that we stand on equal ground.

“Understood… I’ll handle the Karlheim matter on my own then.”

“Yes, but… As the representative of the Bright Sect, and as a fellow emissary of the Goddess, may I kindly ask: Is there no way to avoid bloodshed?”

“In war, bloodshed is inevitable.”

“Still…”

Myna sighed softly and continued.

“Even the kind-hearted followers and the citizens of Karlheim will be caught up in the flames of war. Your Grace, as the emissary of the Empire, surely knows a way to minimize this war?”

We had a plan.

Whether it would produce satisfactory results remained to be seen, but…

I nodded without protest when questioned by Myna.

In reality, the plan had already been set in motion before I arrived at the sect.

My visit here could be seen as post-facto notification. Though there’s no real need to bring this matter up.

“Previously mentioned, striking at Karlheim is necessary from the perspective of the empire. We cannot allow things to drift aimlessly, given the current situation. However…”

A fleeting thought came to mind.

The explanation that Myna and I are on equal footing momentarily sparked a vague plan.

If it went well, there was a possibility we could not only neutralize Karlheim but even absorb it.

The information that Cain MacBilian is the saint of the Bright Sect.

Combining this information with the fact that Karlheim is a theocratic alliance nation would allow for a great spectacle.

Myna’s cooperation would be crucial for this.

“It seems possible if the High Priestess assists.”

“Me?”

As Myna’s eyes widened in surprise, I nodded. Her expression quickly softened, and she said decisively,

“I understand. I will teach you how to use the miracles.”

“…Pardon?”

[/Translation ends here]